Modular wall system with internal air and vapor barrier joints

ABSTRACT

Pre-fabricated panels may consist of multiple layers of materials, which may include (from outside to inside): exterior outer cladding, insulation material, air and vapor barrier (AVB), sheathing board, spray home and studs. In one example, each edge of a sheathing board on the interior side of a wall may be covered by a U-shaped sleeve made of soft plastic, for example rubber, forming a flexible joint between abutting sheathing boards. The edges of the sheathing boards are connected by an interior lap seal system that allows for the application of a sealant through an injection portal. A strip of peel and stick membrane may be applied over the lap seal system as a secondary measure of continuing the AVB membrane. A stud framing system may be used to ensure there is sufficient space to allow the application of AVB membrane from the inside.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to a modular wall system. In particular, it relates to a modular wall system that includes an air and vapor barrier (AVB) with flexible joint material applied to the inside of the wall system.

BACKGROUND

Wall systems typically include sheathing, air and vapor barrier membrane, insulation and an exterior covering. Different materials from each of these layers have to be installed on the wall. Floors, typically concrete or hollow structural sections (HSS), support the walls. Since there are often multiple floors, each with walls that need to be installed, it is desirable to have wall panels that can be pre-fabricated off-site as much as possible, and to have systems that are easy and quick to assemble.

The walls protect the interior of the space from the elements and allow other parts of the building construction to be done.

It is therefore desirable to provide a wall system that may be mounted to a structure that provides continuity of AVB with interior lap systems that can be easily installed.

SUMMARY

A modular wall system may be mounted to a structure in panels. The pre-built panels may consist of multiple layers of materials, which may include (from outside to inside): exterior outer cladding, insulation material, air and vapor barrier (AVB), sheathing board, spray home and studs. In one example, each edge of a sheathing board on the interior side of a wall may be covered by a U-shaped sleeve made of soft plastic, for example, rubber forming a flexible joint between abutting sheathing boards.

On all four edges of a panel, the layer of AVB between the insulation material layer and the sheathing board protrudes beyond the sheathing board such that the protruding portion of the AVB can be folded around the flexible connection joint in whole or in part, forming a reverse lap. Each joint is then covered on site, such as by another layer of peel and stick membrane, to ensure a continuous AVB or insulation.

In an example, the edges of the sheathing boards are connected by an interior lap seal system that allows for the application of a sealant through an injection portal. The molded lap seal system may include injection holes to apply sealant to the joints.

A strip of peel and stick membrane may be applied over the lap seal system as a secondary measure of continuing the AVB membrane. A stud framing system may be used to ensure there is sufficient space to allow the application of AVB membrane from the inside.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of an example of a modular wall system.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of a modular wall system.

FIG. 3 is a perspective cutaway of the modular wall system.

FIG. 4 is a perspective cutaway of the modular wall system.

FIG. 5 is a schematic side cutaway of the joint between two panels of a modular wall system.

FIG. 6 is a schematic section of a joint between two panels of a modular wall system.

FIG. 7 is a schematic section of a joint between two panels of a modular wall system.

FIG. 8 is a schematic elevation view of the joints between four panels of a modular wall system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In a wall system, modular panels are used to install a wall for a building. The panels may be pre-fabricated offsite. Once floors are installed on a new building, the panels can be lifted into position and attached to the floors. The panels may include suitable openings for doors and windows. The panels may also include the studs 15, stud tracks 16, and deflection tracks that are used to mount the panels to the floors.

With reference to FIG. 3, each panel 10 may include exterior cladding 70 and hat tracks 65, insulation 60, air and vapor membrane (AVB) 50, and the sheathing board 40. The panels 10 may also include studs 15, support brackets, such as Z-bars 17 and thermal spacers 18 and deflection clips 19.

The pre-fabricated panels may be built offsite and transported to a construction site. At the construction site, the panels may then be positioned on the structure and fastened. Lifting mounts may be included with the panels or attached to the panels to facilitate the panels being lifted into position to mount on the structure. The panels are preferably attached to the floors 25, such as concrete or hollow structure steel (HSS), using the deflection clips 19.

The wall system may include panels 10 that have a layer closest to the structure comprising a sheathing board 40, such as manufactured by DensGlass®. On the outer surface of the sheathing there may be an air and/or vapor barrier (AVB) 50. The AVB may be an air barrier, a vapor barrier or both an air and vapor barrier. The AVB 50 may have a minimum of holes in the barrier to reduce the movement of air and vapor across the barrier. A foam insulated layer 60 may be affixed to the AVB to provide thermal and sound insulation.

Support brackets for cladding or other exterior surfaces that are exterior to the insulated layer may be provided. Such support brackets may include thermal spacers 18, z-bars 17 and hat tracks (not shown). The wall panels may include structures such as described in Canadian Patent Application No. 2,953,298 and Canadian Patent Application No. 2,980,203, the subject matter of which are incorporated by reference.

The wall panels 10 may be affixed to the floors 25, or to the grade beam using support brackets and deflection clips. The deflection clips may allow the floors to move a small amount relative to the panels.

In one example, each panel may include a portion of the AVB 50 that protrudes beyond the edge of the sheathing 40. In other words, a portion of the AVB 50 may protrude above and to the left and right and to the bottom of a panel, prior to the panels installation on the building structure. The AVB 50 may protrude by several inches, such as 6 inches. With reference to FIG. 5, the protruding AVB 50 may be folded or wrapped around the sheathing 40.

The edge of the sheathing board 40 on each of the top, bottom and sides of the panel 10 may be covered by an elastic or deformable joint connection 20, made of rubber or a soft plastic. The connector 20 make take the form of a long U-shape that can be installed or attached to the edge of the sheathing 40 during pre-fabrication of the panel or during panel installation.

As the panels are installed, the joint connections 20 on the edges of two adjacent sheathing board 40 allow for adjustment of the panels. If the panels are to be adjoined tightly, then the connectors 20 may be squeezed together. If the panels are to be adjoined loosely, then the connectors 20 may only abut each other. The specific placement of the panels relative to each other may depend on construction or installation variations of the floors or the panels, or during installation of exterior cladding.

The joint connectors 20 also provide a smoother surface than the untreated edge of the sheathing 40 around which the AVB 50 is folded. The AVB 50 is folded over the joint connector 20 back on its rather than folding over the potentially sharp edge of the sheathing 40 which could cut, damage or cause holes in the AVB 50.

The protruding portion of AVB 50 may wrap around flexible joint connection 20 from the outside of the sheathing 40 to the interior surface. Therefore between adjoining sheathing panels may be the connector of a first panel, the AVB of the first panel, the AVB of the second panel, the connector of the second panel before the sheathing of the second panel.

Once the panels are attached to the building structure, one or more AVB 50 strips 130 may be applied on the interior of the wall panel affixed to the protruding portions of the AVB 50 from adjoining panels. The AVB 50 strip may be ‘peal and stick’ with integrated adhesive, or be affixed using glue, silicone or other adhesive or sealant.

The wall panel 10 may include an access portion 135 to allow installers to access the interior of the joint between panels. The access portion 135 may be used to access the joint to install the AVB strip 130 as well as to permit inspection of the seam to assist with building inspections and approvals. In an example, the access portion 135 may be 6 or 8 inches high to permit a 6 inch wide AVB strip 130 to be applied to the joint.

The access portion 135 may include engineered metal components such as a plurality stud legs 5 supported by the floor 25 either directly or by a support bracket. Each stud leg 5 may be aligned with and support a stud 15. The stud leg 5 may support a stud track 16 which is attached to the studs 15. The stud leg 5 may have less depth than the thickness of the walls, as defined by the studs 15. In this way, a gap between the stud leg 5 and the sheathing allows an installer to apply the AVB strip 130 over the joint between the AVB 50 behind the stud legs 5.

The panels 10 may include bottom angle bracket 80 and top angle bracket 85. The bottom angle brackets may attach to the floor 25 on its horizontal and support the stud leg 5 as well as provide a mounting point for an adjoining panel below the current panel on its vertical arm. The bottom angle bracket may have a long horizontal arm to provide an attachment point to the floor 25. The top angle bracket may be attached to the stud leg 5. The top and bottom angle brackets may help define the access portion 135.

At the joint between horizontally adjoining panels, such as panels that are attached to the same floor or floors. A similar joint may be provided. With reference to FIG. 1, a deformable joint connector 20 may be attached to the sheathing on each adjoining panel that may be pressed against each other. The AVB 50 may be wrapped around the connector to an interior surface of the panel.

With reference to FIG. 1, the interior surface may be an access portion 135. The access portion may be formed by a gap between studs 15. The access portion may further include left angle bracket 90 and right angle bracket 95 each attached to a respective adjoining panel 10. FIG. 1 represents a single joint between panels so similar access portions may exist at the other edges of the panels, although not indicated in the FIG.

The left and right angle brackets 90 95 may be affixed to studs 15 as part of the pre-fabricated panel.

During installation, after the panel is attached to the building structure, an AVB strip 130 may be applied from the inside of the wall to the protruding portions of the AVB 50 that wrap around the connector 20 to the interior surface of the panel. The AVB strip 130 may extend beyond the connectors 20, such as by 2 inches. The AVB strip 130 may cover all of the protruding AVB 50, or allow some AVB 50 to be uncovered on the interior side of the panel.

An example includes an interior lap seal system that allows for the application of a sealant to the joint between pre-fabricated panels.

With reference to FIG. 7, an H-connector 200 having an “H”-shaped cross-section may be included between adjoining panels. The H-connector 200 may be included on both horizontal and vertical joints between panels. The H-connector 200 may be pre-fabricated on some of the edges of panels such as the top and one-side of the panel, so that during installation, adjoining panels can be inserted into the channel of the H-connector. The end of the sheathing 40 may be enclosed by the channel of the H-connector. The AVB 50 may be wrapped around the end of the sheathing 40 within the H-connector. The AVB 50 may be wrapped around the bare edge of the sheathing or about a joint connector 20 or other similar wrapper.

The insulation layer 60 may be formed with a cavity to permit the H-connector to be applied, either during pre-fabrication or during installation.

Sealant or spray 205 may be applied between the sheathing 40 and the H-connector 200 to provide a seal between adjoining panels 10. The seal may be butyl sealant or urethane foam or other similar material.

The connector 200 may be made of rubber, plastic or metal or other similar material. The legs of the H-connector 200 may be sufficiently long to provide space for adjustments in the distance of two adjacent sheathing boards 40, depending on the positioning of the exterior claddings 100 and positioning of the panels. The width of the H-connector, including both channels may be 6 inches.

One or more injection holes 210 may be provide in the H-connector. The hole 210 may pass from the surface of the H-connector on the interior of the building structure to the interior of each channel of the H-connector. The injection holes may be spaced along the length of the H-connector, such as every approximately 6-inches such that sealant may be injected through the injection hole 210 and spread out along the interior of the channel of the H-connector and by injecting sealant in each of the injection holes, the sealant forms a substantially continuous sealant 205 along the entire channel of the H-connector. With reference to FIG. 7, each injection hole may split to divert sealant to each of the two channels of the H-connector. Alternatively, there may be separate injection holes for each of the channels.

A transparent portion of the H-connector 200 may allow inspection of where the sealant has been injected. This may be used to ensure that sufficient sealant has been injected and to verify that the joint has been sufficiently sealed to provide a barrier to vapor and/or air across the joint.

A strip of AVB 130 may be applied to the entire of the panel joint. The strip of AVB 130 may be affixed to the protruding AVB 50 of each panel and over the H-connector 200. In this way the AVB 50 may provide a further sealed connection between the AVB 50 of a first panel and an AVB 50 of a second panel. As described above, an access portion 135 may be provided both vertically and horizontally to provide access from the interior of the building structure to the joint. The interior access may be used to inject the sealant 205 and apply the AVB strip 130.

With reference to FIG. 8, at the joint of four panels 10 a, 10 b, 10 c 10 d, the H-connectors 200 a, 200 b, 200 c, 200 d of each joint may abut each other and a single H-connector may pass through the common intersection of the four panels. Injection holes on each of the H-connectors may be used to provide sealant to the joints between the sheathing panels. In addition to strips of AVB 130 applied on the joints, a panel of AVB 132 or peal-and-stick may be applied over the 4-way joint between the four panels.

Various examples and configurations having been thus described in detail by way of example, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications may be made without departing from this disclosure. My modular wall systems include all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims. 

We claim:
 1. A modular pre-fabricated wall panel, the wall panel having an interior side and an exterior side, the wall panel comprising: a substantially rectangular sheathing layer; an AVB layer substantially congruent with the sheathing layer on the exterior side of the sheathing layer, the AVB layer providing an air and/or vapor barrier, the AVB layer protruding beyond each of the four edges of the sheathing layer; studs and brackets affixed to and on the interior side of the sheathing layer; and an access portion on the interior side of the wall panel providing access through the studs and brackets to the edge of the sheathing access from the interior side of the panel.
 2. The wall panel of claim 1, further comprising a deformable joint connector substantially covering each of the edges of the sheathing layer, the AVB layer being folded around the joint connector.
 3. The wall panel of claim 1, wherein the access portion comprises a plurality of stud legs, the stud legs having a depth that is less than a depth of the studs and the stud legs supporting the studs.
 4. The wall panel of claim 1, wherein the access portion provides access through the studs and brackets for the affixing a strip of barrier material to the joint between the AVB layer of the panel with the AVB layer of an adjoining panel.
 5. The wall panel of claim 2, wherein the access portion comprises a plurality of stud legs, the stud legs having a depth that is less than a depth of the studs and the stud legs supporting the studs.
 6. The wall panel of claim 2, wherein the access portion provides access through the studs and brackets for the affixing a strip of barrier material to the joint between the AVB layer of the panel with the AVB layer of an adjoining panel.
 7. The wall panel of claim 3, wherein the access portion provides access through the studs and brackets for the affixing a strip of barrier material to the joint between the AVB layer of the panel with the AVB layer of an adjoining panel. 